The Storyteller: Taking Control of Your Own Life Narrative

There’s an old joke that goes:

Q. How can you tell when [INSERT NAME HERE] is lying?

A. Their lips are moving.

Depending on who you ask, the joke is funny because it means the person is always lying. The same can be said about telling tales, for when we communicate, we’re most likely telling a story.

Leo Widrich argues that our brains are wired for storytelling:

“For over 27,000 years, since the first cave paintings were discovered, telling stories has been one of our most fundamental communication methods… A story, if broken down into the simplest form, is a connection of cause and effect. And that is exactly how we think. We think in narratives all day long, no matter if it is about buying groceries, whether we think about work or our spouse at home. We make up (short) stories in our heads for every action and conversation.”

Now this is a powerful concept — every communication has storytelling potential.

Since we’re all telling stories most of the time, wouldn’t it be great if we did it on purpose, instead of by accident?

Imagine the possibilities of crafting our own life’s narrative, communicating our own story with vision and purpose, as opposed to just reacting to the world around us.

We are already hard-wired to respond to a meaningful narrative, as Alyssa Galeros Keefe points out in her article, “Why Storytelling Works: The Science”:

“Stories synchronize the listener’s brain with the teller’s brain.

When the brain sees or hears a story, its neurons fire in the same patterns as the speaker’s brain. This is known as neural coupling. “Mirror neurons” create coherence between a speaker’s brain and the brains of his/her audience members.

Storytelling connects listeners to the storyteller emotionally.

Through a process psychologists call “narrative transport,” good stories engage listeners emotionally. Engaged emotions create empathy with the speaker.”

In my new fantasy series, “Excerpts from an Unknown Guidebook,” I explore the different ways in which we connect with stories. Some people want to read, some people want to listen, while others prefer pictures and images to engage with a meaningful narrative. In my Folkteller Universe, whoever holds the story wields the power, and the main characters must use these myriad forms of communication to fight the forces of darkness.

Stories are powerful and have the ability to change us deeply, effecting the way we view others and the way others view us. Which is why is so important that we learn to take control of our own story.

We all have the option and ability to grab the reigns of life and steer the story we want to tell the world. For the reality is, our story is being told everyday just by living.

And if you don’t tell your own tale, someone is sure to tell it for you.